


Runaway (Alternative Ending)

by Adawinga



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alastor is in Hell for a Reason (Hazbin Hotel), Asexuality Spectrum, Baby, Demisexual Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fear, Human Alastor (Hazbin Hotel), Hurt/Comfort, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Narcissism, The author cried, Unhealthy Relationships, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:55:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adawinga/pseuds/Adawinga
Summary: (Inspired by ItsYaGirlKit "Runaway" that I invite you to read before you start reading this alternative ending).You had to get out of hisgrip, for your child's sake, you had to succeed in running away from that man. No matter the cost. But will you really be able to extricate yourself from the web in which he had entangled you?
Relationships: Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Reader
Comments: 13
Kudos: 56





	Runaway (Alternative Ending)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ItsYaGirlKit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsYaGirlKit/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Runaway](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29192625) by [ItsYaGirlKit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsYaGirlKit/pseuds/ItsYaGirlKit). 



> Hello everyone, before I start I would like to thank ItsYaGirlKit again for allowing me to write this Alternative ending. Their story gave me so much emotions that I felt compelled to make an alternative ending. 
> 
> I hope that I will live up to the excellence of their work.  
> I apologize in advance for any potential mistakes you may find in this text. English is not my mother tongue. 
> 
> Enjoy reading, and please be safe.

*

“Well, dear?” He had insisted that you stay in the same room as Viola. You knew it was just another form of control; you would be forced to keep your voice down so you wouldn’t disturb the sleeping babe. He had planned it perfectly; because, of course, he did. Almost no one remained in the building; all the tenets were either at the beach, church, or shopping.

Of course you expected no less from him, you had gotten to know this other facet that he was constantly hiding from those around him, the one he had managed to hide from you in order to draw you into his web.

Deep down, you knew that he had already planned several moves ahead and that you were already at a disadvantage. A part of you wanted this torture to stop, for everything to go back to the way it was before. That the man you thought you had married would come back, but the other part of you knew very well that he was the Alastor you had once loved and that your heart still desperately wanted to love would not come back, because he had not existed. It was just a lie, a mask.

Your eyes drifted for a moment to the cradle in which Viola slept peacefully, completely unaware of the world around her, unaware that her father was there, and tormented you in the most sadistic way to make you return with him to New Orleans. You gritted your teeth as you watched this poor little girl being used without consideration by his own father as an object to torture you.

Well what?" you asked with your head held high and your arms crossed in a defensive gesture. He turned his back to the door, blocking your only way out.

“Hm. Perhaps I should start?” he asked lightly as he clasped his hands behind him and rocked on his heels. You clung to all the will that your soul held deep inside and held his gaze. You had managed to escape him once. You could face him. You could do it. You were no longer alone. No matter how much that terrified part screamed the opposite. .

Alastor walked towards you and you felt in spite of yourself that you had almost taken a step backwards unconsciously. You bit your tongue and glanced at your sleeping baby again. And that's when the courage you were already starting to lose came back to you.

You were not to forget who you had run away for. You didn't have to forget who had saved you, no, you didn't have the right to give up. No matter how difficult or even impossible it might seem to you. Viola had given you the chance to find within yourself the will to escape the man who was now in front of you and who had tilted your chin to force you to look at him. What you did was to lose the coldness in your eyes.

“A year ago, I came home from work. Eager to see my lovely wife and have a delicious dinner and instead I found myself robbed with this,” he produced your wedding ring from his pocket, the rose gold band glinted in the light, “on the counter, and no lovely wife to be seen.” His eyes narrowed, but that pleasant smile never wavered on his face. “Now, you can imagine how heartbreaking this was for me. I never knew you could be so cruel,” he bopped you on the nose as he pocketed the ring once more. “I thought for certain ‘No, my little doe wouldn’t do this to me. She will surely be back soon.’ And I waited. And you never showed.”

"We must flee from equivocations like the Devil" You whispered mentally in your mind. You had to let him speak. Let him think that you were sensitive to his complaints, take notes of every word he said. Don't let his venom corrupt you again. You had no right to bend your back. You had no right.

You couldn't hold back a small gasp of surprise when his hand grabbed your chin to pull you closer to him, and instinctively one of your hands grabbed his wrist firmly. Again you held his gaze and remained silent. He didn't move; his eyes pierced yours.

"One year," He murmured, his gloved hand holding your chin moved to gently trace your face. Oh how good it was... It was so hard to struggle, to struggle against the desires of your body, which desperately wanted to find the only being it had ever loved. It hurt you. It hurt so much. This contrast between the softness of that gloved hand and the revealing coldness of the fabric covering it was what forced you not to let yourself be hypnotized by his pleas and his caresses. Oh no, he didn't deserve it.

“You gave me quite a chase. You know I _hate_ to chase things,” his hand tensed, the leather of his gloves scraped against your cheek, “Was that what you were banking on? That I wouldn’t betray my moral code and pursue you? _Silly girl_.”

He lowered his face to yours. Your lips remained closed, even when your nostrils smelled his cologne. That special scent that you liked so much about him.

You weren't foolish, as he had told you earlier, you knew that he had sensed that you were not yet completely out of his grip. You had shown signs of weakness to warn him that he still had a chance to make a little room in your head.

You could almost have fallen into his trap if you hadn't looked at his face more.

As your eyes looked into his, you noticed something you would never have seen before if you hadn't had your daughter.

Viola never had that mischievous look in her eyes when she looked at you, she didn't have that look filled with unhealthy desire and insatiable hunger, no, it was just the opposite. She looked at you with love, you were her world, something you had never seen in the eyes of the man standing in front of you, even then you hadn't seen a trace of it in his eyes. Nothing but that malevolent light that betrayed his true intentions.

"You are mine."

At that moment you violently pushed his hand away from your face and took a step backwards, surprising him in the moment.

That step backwards was as if something had broken around you, you couldn't stop blinking several times as if you had just woken up from a nightmare. You felt something in your chest, it wasn't fear, it wasn't anger, it was much lighter, much more stable, as if you had just breathed the purest air you could breathe in your life.

You looked at Alastor who seemed quite surprised at what you had just done. However, you didn't give him time to talk.

You had to show him, show him that now you were master of your own choices, that the lines he had tied you to had finally given way this year. And against all odds a sweet smile formed on your face, unconsciously surprising you.

"I apologize" you said in a clear tone. "It's my fault, I remembered your reaction at a dinner when I was talking about children and I thought I was doing the right thing..." You stated by playing with your facial features to simulate a confused and empathetic expression while enjoying your husband's somewhat unsettled expression. Oh he didn't plan that.

Very quickly Alastor adjusted his glasses elegantly and then answered you.

"Oh Honey, although I'm glad you realized your mistake, may I ask you what words I would have had the misfortune to say to make you do such a foolish thing? " He asked as he approached you and prepared to tenderly take your face in a cup.

Still in shock from what you had just done, you almost let him touch you. Very quickly, you escaped from his hands as you moved to the side and passed behind him like a draft. You were now the one standing against the door.

In reaction, an almost dangerous glow appeared in your husband's eyes. It made you sweat cold behind your back. Nevertheless, the feeling of that wooden door against your back gave you the confidence to face that intimidating look Alastor was giving you. You had won this battle, but it wasn't over yet. You could feel it just by the threatening aura that emanated from the man in front of you.

"I'll make you a coffee the way you like it, are you coming? I'll explain everything" You asked in an almost candid voice while opening the door. Of course Alastor's smile widened and he gently tilted his head to the side with a gentle yet vicious look to implicitly tell you that he wouldn't play your game.

"Sweeheart , I-"

"Oh yes I know don't worry, I haven't forgotten, no sugar I promise, come on let's go." You cut him off without losing the fake smile on your face before you opened the door and walked out of that room before he could protest.

At that moment, you felt that feeling of lightness again. All the unhealthy atmosphere that you once felt in that room faded away, you looked at every piece of furniture in the next room without paying the slightest attention to your husband as if to force you to keep in mind that you had just countered him. Something you had been unable to do for so long. You had to keep going.

You knew he wasn't going to hurt Viola. No, he was far too certain that he was still in control. To him, what you'd just done was "just an unforeseen event". But no, you had actually just put a grain of sand in this ingenious ploy that he had painstakingly put in place to control you again. And you weren't going to let him remove it for anything in the world. You were going to sandblast and destroy this sordid machine that he used to manipulate your soul as he pleased. You were going to get him out of your head. You were going to get him out of your life. You had to. You had to do it for Viola.

On your way to the kitchen you tried not to pay attention to your husband's step and to stay focused. You had managed to destabilize him. Now you had to find a way to keep him away from you, even temporarily. You had to buy time, make a plan to run away, or find some other ploy to get rid of him. Once in the kitchen you set him up on a table while you made coffee silently. Suddenly you heard the sound of his shoes walking towards you while your back was turned. You bit your tongue angrily, he was still trying....

You felt his hands resting gently on your hips, the contact was soft, almost loving... however when his nimble fingers began to dance lightly on your hips, your body immediately reacted in spite of you. A mixture of emotions exploded inside you when you felt her warm breath against your ear.

"I missed you" He whispered in a sensual voice that gave you several shivers down your spine. Your eyes tried to drift over what was on the counter and hope to find a way to distract him. Especially as his hands moved gently over your belly and along your curves. You'd be lying if you said you weren't sensitive to his touch. You've never had another man since you ran away. You only knew him.

Your eyes stopped on the drawer next to you filled with knives. For a moment, a strange, morbid impulse burst inside you. It would be so easy... So easy to solve all your problems, he wouldn't hurt you or Viola or anyone else. However, you pushed this idea far away in your mind. No, there is no way that you are defiling your soul for him, besides, who would believe you? How were you going to explain why you murdered your handsome and charming husband? A man who was adored by all of New Orleans? No, you were condemning your child to live without both parents. You had to be there for her.

Suddenly an idea came into your head as your husband was about to tenderly kiss your neck. Without thinking, you threw your head back, hitting him in the process and shouting, "Oh dear!"

Alastor had to step back because of the shock and catch his face in a hiss of pain. Although this was not what you had originally planned and you were now terrified of a potential explosion from him, you could no longer back down.

"Oh sorry Alastor" You apologized with a false expression of panic and worry, however, you didn't have the reaction to approach him, it was just the opposite. "I'm really sorry I wanted to go to the bathroom and it's urgent I'm really sorry, you'll excuse me" You apologized again, quickly coming out of the kitchen and locking yourself in the bathroom.

As soon as you were sure that you were safe you blew a good blow while feeling your heart beating quietly little by little.

With a trembling gait you sat down by the sink and looked at yourself in the mirror for a moment. Oh my god how exhausted you looked. You had only seen him for a few minutes, and you were already exhausted and exhausted. Part of you wanted to let him down so badly... let him win... but you knew you couldn't. You had to keep fighting. At least get him out of this house.

"Come on..." you whispered to yourself as you placed one hand on your chest and took deep breaths to calm yourself. When you were a little calmer, your eyes nervously fell toward the door when your ears heard a little noise, you looked down at the door and your heart missed a beat when you saw his shadow that testified he was right behind the door. The desperate part of you wanted to scream, beg him to stop torturing you in this way, and at the same time your arms and legs began to shake with anger and fear.

What was he planning to do to you once you got out? Was he going to get angry? Blaming you?

You hardly swallowed your saliva and then forced yourself to contain the terror that was slowly building up in your mind. You had to stay calm. What Alastor wanted was for you to lose your temper so that you could better play the victim and make yourself feel guilty. You had to remember why you were doing this.

With all the energy you could find deep inside you, you placed a soft loving smile on your face and opened the door to see him leaning against the wall with an unknown expression on his face.

"Oh dear, why did you wait for me?" You innocently asked

Your husband seemed delighted that you handed him this pole as he walked towards you.

"Darling" he said slowly, "Why do you keep running away from me even now that I've found you?" He asked in a tone as innocent as yours. His green eyes stared insistently at yours as he shrugged his shoulders with a confused and desperate look. And unfortunately, this gesture made you lose the opportunity to answer him. "Why are you running away from me? Haven't I always been there for you? Haven't I given you everything you wanted? entertainment, my bed, my attention and my time. I thought that's what you wanted and yet..." His head gently tilted down as if he was looking for the right words. His limbs were trembling, you didn't know if it was anger or if he was really holding back from appearing emotional in front of you. Could he really be feeling regret? Had you really hurt him that much? Had he realized how lucky he was that he had rejected you through his behavior? "And yet You ran away from me, You ran away to keep me away from our child."

You had to answer now. You tried not to listen to that voice whispering to you that he was right, that it was your fault, that you were the only one at fault in this story.

No matter how much your heart was suffering and bleeding right now. You felt the tears coming up in your eyes in spite of yourself. Oh how you wanted to believe that he really cared, why... why did things have to be so monstrously painful? With a broken smile, you put your hands on his cheeks and surprised him on the spot. Even yourself.

Your husband wasn't very comfortable when he wasn't the one initiating the physical contact, and that was something you learned the hard way. You could only show him your affection when he implicitly or explicitly gave you permission. This time, however, he had done nothing to invite you to touch him, and this was your chance.

The fact that a year separated you weighed in the balance, and you knew that he was perfectly aware that he couldn't be too firm with you if he wanted you back. He had to give you some control to hope to poison you again.

Very delicately your thumbs caressed his cheeks tenderly and then in a sob you declared.

"Oh Alastor I'm so sorry, I am such a stupid woman. How could I even make you think such a repulsive and monstrous thing?"

You felt him stiffen in confusion, as if he didn't expect this choice of words from yout. Before he could answer you, you backed away and turned your back to him and leaned against the corridor wall.

"Oh dear I'm such a fool" You whispered loudly enough that he could hear you. You turned towards him, joined your hands and stared at him with your eyes shining with an emploring air that sowed doubt in Alastor.

You couldn't play him if? You couldn't. At least not for that long... Would he really have been wrong? No... he couldn't have been wrong. He couldn't be wrong. He just couldn't.

Unfortunatly for him, doubt was his first mistake, because you immediately noticed that his body was beginning to betray him. His fingers were unconsciously pounding and unfolding, his head and shoulders were moving nervously, betraying the fact that he was gradually losing his patience and that something was beginning to torment him in his head.

Now you had to calm him down.

"I'll explain everything, all right? Come on. " You said as you took him into the kitchen again. You served him a cup, as well as one for yourself.

At first everything was quiet. You were quite stressed. His predatory eyes kept looking at you and analyzing you for the slightest sign of a lie. But he couldn't do it.

All this conflict of conflicting emotions within you allowed you to use your own doubts, hatred, and the little love you still had for him to your advantage. Alastor could no longer read you, at least not properly. Too many unknown factors entered your head, making it impossible to predict your thoughts, words and movements. And that gave him a strange feeling in his chest.

A stifling feeling. He hadn't felt this way for a long time, the last time was the day you left. He hated it. He hated that anguish. He wasn't thinking clearly anymore. He couldn't afford to make a mistake. He couldn't make a mistake. It was impossible.

"So, my dear, tell me what could have gone on in that cute little head of yours to make you do such a stupid thing?" Alastor asked without losing his smile, although this time he was more tense... more suspicious.

You looked down shamefully and then you looked at him with a sigh and replied with trying to keep your self-confidence when his eyes judged you.

"As I told you, a long time ago we had dinner together. You had had a long day and I made you your favorite dish, remember?"

Your husband nodded his head while his eyes seemed to soften

"Indeed I do."

"I had told you about the children we had seen playing in town, and I had asked the pious question," You pursed your lips trying to keep that subtle hesitation in your voice. "I had asked you if we ever had a child, you'd want it to be a boy or a girl." Your husband's eyes widened for a few brief seconds, testifying that this memory was not unfamiliar. "You didn't answer me, in fact, you didn't talk to me all night, and then we never brought it up again in our discussions, so I ..." You struggled to contain your tears this time, you had to keep a little control to be able to counter his future reaction, the tremor and pain in your voice was more than enough. "I came to the conclusion that you didn't want to have a child."

Your husband seemed to be frozen on the spot, his mask was broken this time, his eyes were no longer fixed and moved more often implicitly shouting that he didn't understand what was going on. You couldn't make up such a big lie, could you? Were you really that stupid? Was that why he didn't feel anything coming? Because you had panicked? What was he supposed to do?

Before he considered answering, you continued to explain in the same depressed and shameful tone.

"That's why when I got pregnant, I thought you couldn't stand it. I didn't want to become a burden to you. So I took your money, and I apologize sincerely, I didn't know what to do." You wiped a tear that had managed to run down your cheek "I didn't want to be a burden you didn't deserve this, I thought that if I disappeared... It would be better for you. That you would be happy. That's why I gave it back to you" You explained, implicitly mentioning your wedding ring. "Alastor I'm really sorry, so sorry that my actions made you think something so ... I don't even have words. Forgive me but sincerely, I really thought it was the best solution."

This time you let a few tears come out of your eyes and then looked away with a sheepish look. And as you expected, you felt his gloved hand on yours. A sense of hope was awakened in you at the thought that he had taken the bait. You took the most desperate expression you could and looked him in the eyes again as you felt his thumb caressing your hand with "Affection".

"Silly girl" Alastor laugh with an expression that in reality you might have seemed sincere. "How could you think I would be so mad at you, you should have told me. Oh what a bad husband I must have been." He says,

You didn't let yourself get soft, even though you wanted his words to be sincere and you pretended to play along with him.

"No, it's not your fault. I'm the one who's been a bad wife, I should have told you. I apologize." You falsely reassured her by placing your second hand on hers.

And at that moment you saw that dangerous glow in your husband's eyes. He thought he had won this time. It was now the most complicated part for you.

"Come back," He simply said

This is the part you were dreading.

"What?" you stuttered.

"It was all a misunderstanding, you said it yourself, you should have talk to me about this child, I would never have scolded you for it, it's not your fault. Mon rêve, I apologize if I didn't know how to listen to you, but I promise to be more attentive to you, and to do everything I can to make sure that such a situation never happens again. Trust me."

"Alastor..." you whispered, but this time the words stuck in your throat. It was hard... too hard... His words, no... his voice was worse than the song of a mermaid, why, why wasn't this mask what He really was? Why did it have to be so hard. You wanted this Alastor to come back. Not this narcissist behind this false image.

"Everything will be the way it was before."

"Would you really be willing to accept Viola?" The question involuntarily slipped from your lips causing a slight startle from you.

As soon as your husband heard it, a small laugh came out of his mouth, as if you had just said something obvious.

"Of course you would my dear, how can I not accept a child as beautiful as ours? A child needs its parents." He put his second hand on yours and added without losing his smile. "Furthermore who is with such a sublime name, You have really chosen well, your favorite flower and my favorite instrument..." He murmured with a tender smile that sent shivers down your spine. You bit your tongue.hadn't he always told you that his favorite instrument was the trumpet? You preferred to let him believe that you hadn't tickled.

On the contrary, you let all the pain you contained deep inside appear on your face, alerting him immediately.

"What's happening to you, sweetheart?"

"Oh Alastor I can't..." You cried.

"Why are you crying? Did I not tell you that I forgive you for this ridiculous misunderstanding? "he asked as his smile shrank at a glance.

"Alastor, this year of separation has been very hard for me, you can't imagine how much. Not having you near me was a torture without a name, you can't imagine. "You took your hands out of his grasp and put them on his." Then you slowly stood up and approached him, analyzing his seemingly emotionless gaze. Nevertheless you saw that he was confused. You walked behind him and gently placed your hands on his shoulders, forcing him to remain seated. Then you began to massage his shoulders and focused on your words, and your sweet memories that were interfering with your reason.

"And during that year I realized how much Viola and I could have pulled you down. "

"Ha! What are you talking about, honey? You'll never be a burden to me! Don't be ridiculous" he says a little more severely trying to stand up

"Oh Alastor, you're much too good." You whispered using that desperate part of yourself to talk, kissed over his head and whispered "Much too good...That's why I saw fit to leave. As you told me, you gave me everything 'The entertainment, your bed, your attention and your time' and what was I going to offer you in return? With this child, I can no longer give you all the attention you deserve."

Your husband's body froze this time, as if a bag of bricks had fallen on his head. You kissed the top of his skull again and stroked his hair, causing a tremor in his breathing.

"Viola wakes up at night you know... if I had stayed, you wouldn't have been able to sleep properly, you would have been exhausted, it would have interfered with all your work on the radio. I couldn't do that to you Alastor " You felt her body starting to shake. He didn't like what was happening. You glanced discreetly at the window and saw that the daylight was beginning to fade, Mrs. David would soon be home you had to hold on a little longer, just a little more. With a sigh and while caressing her head you finished

"All those people who listen to you, who love you and who are hanging onto your every words ever time you go on air, you think, you need all the sleep and all the time you can get them to vibrate in the first few minutes of your show. You're the most famous radio host Louisiana has ever known. What will happen when we go home Alastor?"

He didn't answer you right away, his eyes were staring into the void, as if he was trying to find the right answer, he couldn't get angry with you, he couldn't contradict you either. You were too sure of yourself, he wasn't in control. He didn't have it anymore. Playing on fear was not an option. If you had been in Louisiana things might have been different. No... He had already planted doubt in your mind. You needed time to face the facts. You couldn't live without him. 3 weeks should be enough. Just 3 weeks should bring you to your senses now that he had told you that he was ready to accept this child. You still loved him, he knew it, he felt it. You reacted to his touch as if that year had never passed. No, you weren't that silly. You didn't contradict him when he told you that you were his. No, you weren't going to leave, you couldn't leave. Now you didn't have enough money, you couldn't leave.

You were going to crawl back to him. He just needed some time. Now that the doubt was sown, he just had to wait for it to germinate, time and the weight of society would do all the work for him.

"Darling, You're really silly. You won't be able to raise our child alone. Isn't coming back with me the best solution? I can give her everything she needs, food, a home, a father's love, everything. "

You tried to answer but he interrupted you by gently grabbing your hands. "I know what you're going to say to me my darling, and I thank you so much for worrying about me and caring so much about my well being. But you have to face the facts. You can't take care of our child, you can't do it, not on a meager salary, not when the effects of the crisis are at their peak my love. What will people around you say? Do you really want to impose this social pressure on our child? Is this really what you want?"

You froze. When he mentioned your "meagre salary". What was going to happen if by some misfortune you didn't have enough money? Could you really provide for Viola? Would you have enough money to buy her a sweater or a jacket so she wouldn't be cold? Would you be able to feed her when she is hungry? Would you be able to take care of her when she is sick?

A monstrous fear twists your stomach and makes you tremble in spite of yourself, something Alastor immediately felt.

"I'm going to give you 3 weeks to think, my dear. I know now that this whole situation was just a gross misunderstanding, and I already forgive you." He declared in a neutral tone while slowly standing up, facing you again. You could no longer control your shaking. His words danced and repeated in your brain like an unhealthy nursery rhyme over and over again. You didn't even see that your husband had tenderly put your face between his hands. "And I know you're not going away anymore...You're smart, I know you'll make the choice that makes the most sense and is the best for Viola, I trust you for that, that's why I married you my sweet little doe."

"Alastor-" You tried to protest quickly, but he bridged the gap between you by sealing his lips with yours in a tender and delicate movement. Your lips separated unconsciously as if for a last invitation to explore your mouth, which he did without hesitation, his tongue quickly dominated yours and let you taste the taste of the coffee you had served him, reminding you of all the times you shared breakfast together, good times when he explained with overflowing enthusiasm what he was going to do with his day. Times when he looked so much like the man you thought you were marrying. Your heart hurt, you felt like it was heavier than lead, it was unbearable, unbreathable.

Your husband slowly moved away as if he was secretly waiting for you to hold him back with another kiss or a word. Breathless and face torn by the conflict between your opposing desires, you hugged him and buried your face in your chest to breathe in his scent one last time and then you whispered,

"I'll think about it, I promise." That was your last lie.

You didn't see it, but your husband's smile widened beyond belief with pride, and all you felt was his heartbeat slightly faster than usual. He kissed the top of your head, "Such a nice girl." He said tenderly before he walked away from you and out of the kitchen. You followed him silently with an unreadable expression on your face. Your eyes were empty. You didn't know what you wanted anymore. Did you really want to leave? Your eyes turned to the room where Viola was and your conscience screamed at you not to listen to the lies of the man who was about to leave. And yet...

"Alastor? "You called him.

He had a long moment of silence and then he turned around with a vicious look on his face and a smirk on his face.

"Yes my love? "He asked innocently.

His words slapped you almost instantly. You shown weakness... No, you were almost there, you had to think of Viola and not this individual in front of you, she alone counted. You couldn't do that to her. No matter how hard your life will be without him. You had to protect her. It wasn't just about you anymore. You came trembling towards your husband and adjusted his shirt with a painful smile.

"I'm still sorry for all the pain I've caused you."

"It's nothing my dear, you did that for my sake, didn't you? I know you will make the right choices from now on."

You nodded your head and lowered your eyes, restraining yourself from cracking up in front of him. However, he placed his hand under your chin and raised your head to give you one last kiss. "A très bientôt mon amour" He said almost in a singing tone before leaving, letting you close the door behind him.

You heard his footsteps moving away very slowly. As if he wanted to give you one last chance to come back with him, you had to use all the last strength you had left not to run to join him and when his footsteps were no longer audible you collapsed sobbing to the ground.

You couldn't stand upright, you just couldn't stand anymore. You should be happy that you managed to make him leave, that you managed to resist his call and his requests to come back with him and yet ... and yet you couldn't feel that joy! All you felt was this doubt and this pain that was everywhere!

You looked at your trembling hands. Why did they look so dirty? So disgusting? All that talk you had with Alastor was going round and round in your head like an old broken record. All those words you had said, which were the opposite of what you were thinking at times, that you said just to throw him off balance ... was Alastor enjoying himself when he got what he wanted by doing that? It was so .... Wrong ... exhausting ... filthy ... Putrid!

Suddenly you felt something rise up your esophagus, ran to the nearest sink, which was the kitchen sink, and vomited inside before collapsing to the floor again. You felt so dirty. So dirty. Your hands unconsciously scratched your skin, wanting to remove the imaginary dirt you thought you had on you. You had to get it off... get it off... clean yourself up....

Suddenly your gaze was drawn to a small object that had been placed on the table, and your eyes widened in a mixture of fear, anger and despair when you recognized it. Your wedding ring.

Your body moved on its own and you grabbed the object to look at it, and that was your mistake.

Alastor's words were repeated again, louder this time, in a more mocking tone, he was taunting you, mocking you.

"Shut up !" you cried as you grabbed your head in your delirium

You were an idiot. How could you think for even a moment that you were going to get away with it? Were you that naive? Alastor had already won, never in 3 weeks could you raise enough money to run away again, you were going to need your husband one day or another, never would you have enough money to take care of your daughter, you couldn't cover her when she was cold, you couldn't make her eat her fill.... You won't be able to ... What did you do? You should have gone with him.... it was your fault ... your fault and yet he forgave you! You were really-

"Oh my God what happened to you? " asked a panicked voice, breaking your trance state. You slowly looked up and saw Mrs. Davis standing in front of you, looking worried. She whispered your name and asked you again what had happened. All you could do was to give her the most desperate, downcast look she had ever seen in her entire life, before you let go of your wedding ring and ran to her to give her a hug. The woman looked at you in amazement at your behavior but did nothing to keep you away from her.

Over the next few hours, Mrs. Davis did everything she could to help you regain your composure, gave you words of encouragement, stroked your back in an almost maternal way to reassure you, and even made you a hot drink to help you relax.

When she thought you were calmer, she asked you what had happened. You took your time to answer her and accept the extended hand she so kindly offered you.

"A child needs a fulfilled mother to fulfill himself too."

Said Mrs. Davis, this time you broke down. And you spoke. You told her your story, your true story, you didn't leave out any details, even the most disturbing ones like the blood in your house, your husband's long absences, or his many facets. Mrs. Davis kept a serious expression on your face, nodding her head from time to time to indicate that she was perfectly attentive to your story. When you finished your story, you expected a real sermon from Mrs. Davis, but it never came. Instead she hugged you and whispered.

"You didn't do anything wrong, don't worry, everything will be all right, okay? Don't get yourself in such a state for him, he doesn't deserve any of your tears, sweetie."

You tried to protest, but the woman stood firm, telling you that it was not your fault, that you were the victim in this affair and that you had nothing to blame yourself for. Without saying a word she got up and walked to the phone to call her son and ask him to come as soon as possible. And as if God himself had decided that your martyrdom had to stop, Ms. Davis' son believed in your story and was sensitive to the different trials you had gone through.

He had contacts in the police including one of his closest friends in New Orleans, who was well aware of the murderer's case, which was still unsolved. He quickly got in touch with him and passed on your testimony, leaving out no details. He passed on to him every single one of your information about the late nights, about what time they went out, the blood in the house, his personality disorders. His friend, although surprised by these accusations, decided to put his admiration for the radio presenter aside and open an investigation. He would have doubted whether it was you in person who had given him this information, but if it was his friend who was saying it, it must have been really serious.

For your part, you tried to take care of Viola as best you could, that was all that mattered now. Nevertheless the anguish that your husband would come back in a rage and come after you or your daughter kept you awake every night. You had betrayed him... stabbed him in the back, at least that's what your guilt, gangrenous with his venom, told you, but fortunately for you, Mrs. Davis stayed by your side more often, and supported you with all her heart. Deep in your heart you blessed her, and begged God to grant her and her son paradise when their time comes. Very few people would have helped you as she did, you were only a mother who had the audacity to run away from her wonderful husband, you would have been a whore and Alastor the poor martyr for the majority of society, yes, you were very fortunate that Mrs. Davis came into your life.

The days passed slowly without any news, each day was a torment because the deadline set by Alastor was getting closer and closer. Amplifying your night terrors every day. However, around the middle of the second week, Mrs. Davis' son knocked on the door looking serious. His mother had asked him what was wrong with him but he didn't answer.

He walked towards you with a newspaper in his hand and gently handed it to you. With both of your trembling hands you took him something broke inside you as your eyes turned roughly: "The New Orleans killer shot by the police." and below was a picture of your husband on his radio shows.

A small cry came from your throat as your hands dropped the newspaper and tears streamed from your eyes. You wanted to rejoice, so much you wanted to rejoice but you couldn't. He was dead... you had condemned him at the very moment you spoke to Mrs. Davis.

Part of you knew that you shouldn't feel sad, that it was best for all those people in New Orleans, that it was best for, best for Viola. But another part of you was so sad, so sorry, and so angry with him. He had everything to be happy about, why did he make those choices? What had happened in his life to make him prefer his own desires over the love you could give him?

You knew you shouldn't feel sad... but you couldn't help it.

It took you a long time to digest everything that had happened, and finally accept that Alastor, your husband, was no longer of this world, Viola had now grown up and had become a beautiful little girl of 4 years old, completely unaware of the hell you had gone through. That year, you returned to New Orleans and visited your late husband's grave.

As you expected, not even a flower had bloomed for him. No one had tended his grave. He had been abandoned and forgotten.

With a sigh you put a black rose on his grave and your wedding ring.

There were so many things you wanted to say to him, to spit out your anger and your deep disappointment. And yet you remained silent. You wondered if he could see you, hear your thoughts, or even feel your pain. So many questions were running through your head. Had he been in pain? Did he call your name while the police was hunting him? Did He regret his actions for a moment? Or was he so proud to the end that he smiled in the face of death?

After several minutes you finally managed to say a few words.

"I don't know if you can see me, or even hear me where you are... but when in doubt..." you held back your tears and whispered "You could have been happy... you had extraordinary qualities... an unfailing charm, a fine and pleasant sense of humor, a wonderful smile... my love. ... you could have been so happy..." You paused and continued "Telling you your sins is useless, you already know them..." You wet your lips and ignored all that weight in your chest. "But.. In spite of everything you've done... all the evil you've sown, I can't hate you, in spite of how much I wish it in my heart, I can only pray to God that one day he'll give you the opportunity to understand the luck you had and never took. Alastor, you had this good part in you that you never listened to the end, a part that you preferred to use to hypnotize your victims, including me. So if you hear me, please, please, please, if you ever have this opportunity to understand and redeem yourself, do it..."

You didn't know what you'd been waiting for, a voice? A sign? Something? Heh... if he'd heard you he'd probably be laughing and telling you how stupid you were. But you didn't care...

If there really was life after death, perhaps one day he will understand his faults and feel regret and maybe... a desire to redeem himself.

And maybe God, in his great mercy, will forgive him... just as you have now forgiven him by going to him one last time to give him this rose and give him back your covenant...

Maybe... He will have the chance to finally understand... maybe...

" _A bientôt ... peut-être..._ " You whispered. Before you turn your heels and leave the cemetery, leaving behind you doubts, and bad memories of your past.

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End file.
